I firmly believe that everyone should spend some time reading......away from their computer. This will both relax you and make you realize how boring anything other than the Internet really is. Anywho, here is a list of my recommended reads:
- Douglas Adams - The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series (1977-1992), Last Chance to See (1990) - These are mandatory reads for any science or computer-loving human! The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books are funny, intelligent Sci-Fi books whereas Last Chance to See is a remarkable account of the travels that Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Cowardine took looking for endangered species.
- Eric S. Raymond - The Cathedral and the Bazaar (2001) - This is the best book on Open Source Software. It is a collection of papers (and as a result, a tough read), but you will learn how Open Source Software works as well as its purpose and future.
- Richard Dawkins - The Selfish Gene (1976), The Blind Watchmaker (1986), A Devil's Chaplain (2003), The Ancestor's Tale (2004) - These books are simply fantasic accounts of how genetics and evolution works. You do not need any science background in order to understand Richard Dawkins because he starts from scratch and then goes into detail, but I found that my science background from university made it much easier to read. Regardless, these are NOT books for creationists ;-)
- Jim Carlton - Apple: The inside story of intrigue, egomania and business blunders (1997) - You will learn more about the origins of the computer industry (and Microsoft) from this book than you will about Apple. An amazing read, but hard to find....check your library!
- Leander Kahney - The Cult of Mac (2004) - This is definitely a Mac book....oh how I miss that duck quack.
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